Copper Creek Wolves Linked to Another Livestock Killing in Gunnison County

By Marianne Goodland | The Denver Gazette

A heifer found dead in eastern Gunnison County on Nov. 22 was killed by one of the yearlings from the Copper Creek wolf pack, according to a rancher, who did not want to be identified.

It’s the fourth livestock death in November attributed to wolves.

Two calves and a ewe were also killed by wolves in November in Routt, Pitkin and Rio Blanco counties, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The Copper Creek pack is believed to be responsible for numerous livestock deaths in Pitkin, Gunnison and Grand counties. One of the yearlings was killed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) staff in May in Pitkin County after a weekend of livestock killings; a second was shot by wildlife officers in Rio Blanco County in September after it killed six sheep.

The Copper Creek pack originated from a mating pair relocated from Oregon to Colorado. The male of the pair died shortly after being captured in August 2024, with that death attributed to injuries related to a gunshot wound.

The state wildlife agency captured the pack in the wake of multiple livestock killings attributed to the mating pair. The mother and four of the five yearlings were released in January in Pitkin County, and within a few months, the yearlings were killing livestock.

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